Featured Brand: Minä Perhonen

Thanks to a dear reader, Rinna, I discovered Minä Perhonen, a Japanese label that designs textiles, clothing, accessories and even furniture. The Northern European influence is strong with clean lines, strong contrasts and vibrant prints.

Rinna mentioned that one of the dresses worn by Yu Aoi in Honey and Clover looked like it could be from Minä Perhonen, and indeed, the third dress does look very similar to a certain black and white floral dress.

Clean lines mixed with combined with astonishing details.

 

I'm loving the crafty vibe. There's just something so... comforting about these accessories. Just looking at them makes one feel so cosy and safe somehow. Do check out Minä Perhonen's website to see more beautiful things.

Image source: Minä Perhonen

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Yu Aoi as Hagumi Hanamoto in Honey and Clover live action movie

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Top 20 mori girls

Several people have posted about this before, but I thought I'd just reiterate what others have said for the sake of completeness. Goo conducted a poll on Japanese celebrities who could best be classified as mori girls, and three of my favourite Japanese actresses made it into the top three!

#1: Almost half the voters selected Yu Aoi (蒼井優) as the #1 mori girl. She is undeniably the face of the mori girl trend. I've loved Yu ever since I saw her in All About Lily Chou-Chou, and she just keeps growing as an actress. In an industry where girls struggle to outdo each other in terms of cuteness, Yu Aoi is refreshingly earthy and natural. She's got an indie sensibility that is reflected in her unique style and image. Her most typically mori girl role has been Hagumi Hanamoto in Honey and Clover, but really, in most of her films she portrays individualistic, quirky girls.

#2: The adorable Aoi Miyazaki (宮崎あおい). This girl has the cutest face I've ever seen. You may have seen her as the irrepressible Hachi in Nana. While I wouldn't say she has as mori girl a look as Yu Aoi, she is often photographed in cute, loose, layered outfits. Her role as a quirky photographer in Heavenly Forest has been identified as a mori girl icon.

#3: One of the prettiest young Japanese actresses in my opinion, Juri Ueno (上野樹里) is famous for her scatterbrained, free-spirited character in the Japanese drama Nodame Cantabile.

#4: I admit I don't know much about singer and host Kaela Kimura (木村カエラ). She looks spunky and unique from the pictures, though.

#5: Yuki Isoya (磯谷有希) is a prominent Japanese singer who has been part of several bands. She's got a fun image which belies her age--she was born in 1972. That goes to show that the mori girl subculture isn't restricted to adolescent girls!

#6: Hiromi Nagasaku (永作博美)

#7: Eri Fukatsu (深津絵里)

#8: Chara

 

#9: Aiko Yanai (柳井愛子)

 

#10: UA

#11: Chiaki Ishikawa (石川智晶)

#12: Kumiko Aso (麻生久美)

#13: You

#14: Rie Miyazawa (宮沢りえ)

#15: Mikako Ichikawa (市川実和子)

#16: Tomoko Kawase (川瀬智子)

#16: Miho Tanaka (田中美保)

#16: Ikuko Harada (原田郁子)

#19: Yuko Ando (藤裕子)

#20: Meg

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Featured Brand: Franche Lippee

I was looking through some Japanese magazines the other day when I chanced upon an ad for Franche Lippee. Intrigued, I searched for their website and was delighted to find yet another brand mori girls would like. The clothes look like something a little girl exploring the forest would wear, crunching through piles of autumn leaves in the middle of fall.

Many of you are preparing yourselves for winter, and these adorable coats would make it a little bit warmer and a whole lot sweeter!

The A-line, loose and unfitted cutting of these coats as well as the cute collars make them extremely childlike.

These coats are quite special. The vermilion coat would brighten up a cold winter's day, while the furry sleeves and brass buttons on the black one make it more interesting than your average black coat.

Of course, no mori girl's wardrobe is complete without loose tops. These are too adorable for words!

Sweater dresses to wear with boots, patterned tights and a knitted hat with ear flaps.

The fabrics look so warm and comfy. The pinafore would go well with a turtleneck.

This has to be one of the cutest brands I've discovered so far. See how many times I used the word 'cute' in this post!

Image source: Franche Lippee

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Featured Brand: Unruly

I seem to be discovering so many Japanese brands suitable for mori girls lately it's crazy! My latest discovery is Unruly, which has a current collection featuring sublime layers and sometimes bizarre ideas.

Aren't these outfits just lovely? The drapes and layers feel cosy but never bulky. The first three looks are definitely achievable for mori girls who want to try to recreate the look themselves.

 

This model looks like a little ghost. I suspect that was entirely intended, and it brings out the quirkiness of these outfits wonderfully.

 

The ruffles and layers on these outfits are so comfortable looking!

 

More extreme textures for mori girls who prefer heavier layers but want to stick with light fabrics.

Image source: Unruly

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Featured Brand: Yab-Yum

A Japanese brand I discovered only recently is Yab-Yum. I was struck by how very mori girl its aesthetic is. In fact, I would go as far as to say that Yab-Yum truly encapsulates the spirit of the mori girls. Its Spring/Summer 2010 collection consists of lovely pieces with unique draping in a neutral palette. The number of silhouettes found in such a small collection is amazing, and something mori girls can glean lots of ideas from.

The loose trousers worn under a tunic is great for active mori girls. The nautical dress is just adorable.

The simple colour palette never gets boring thanks to the loose but carefully crafted silhouettes.

These are simple looks that mori girls with a penchant for DIY might be able to recreate.

 I just love the sleeves on the first dress, and the second outfit is a great way to incorporate a narrow waistline into a loose silhouette.

I love the silhouette on the left, and the dress on the right is a great choice for summer days.

More eclectic looks for mori girls who who love fun layers.

Please visit Yab-Yum's website to view the entire collection.

Image source: Yab-Yum

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